Tufting machine and method



Feb. 23, 1943. R. H. WINDHAM 2,311,802

TUFTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 6, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 23, R H W|N TUFTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 6, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 23, 1943. R wlNDHAM 2,311,802

TUFTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 6, 1939 4-Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,311,802

I TUFTING MACHINE AND METHOD Roy H. Windham, Rome, Ga.., assig'nor to Burl J. Bandy, Dalton, Ga.

Application October 6, 1939, Serial No. 298,307

16 Claims.

' which tails must be subsequently pulled out or severed.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for retaining the needle bar elevated and releasing the same at intervals, and which is exceedingly reliable in operation, relieving the machine of the jars and strains to which it is subjected, due to the improper operation of other similar means.

A further object of the invention is to so operate the looper and the blade, that when the needle is reciprocating to produce the loops, a plurality of unsevered loops will be accumulated upon the looper, subsequent to which all accumulated unsevered loops will be severed during one cycle of operation of the blade.

- I A further object of the invention is to utilize the presence of a plurality of unsevered loops upon the looper, to aid the blade in severing the tail produced at the trailing loop, eliminating the ..-necessity of using a gripper.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatic means for throwing the blade into shearing action, at the proper time, during the continuous operation of the work feed means.

A further object of the invention is to bring the latch means for the needle bar near the head of the machine, thereby simplifying the construction of the same.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the head of the tufting machine, parts omitted for the purpose of illustration.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the first cycle of operation during the sewing period,

. Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating the second cycle of operation in the same,

Figure 5 is a similar View illustrating the third cycle of operation in the same,

Figure 6 is a side elevation-of the looper and blade, further illustrating the manner in which the blade severs all loops,

Figure '7 is a vertical section through the fabric showing the product,

' Figure 8 is a front elevation of the looper and associated elements,

Figure 9- is a vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the looper and associated elements,

Figure 11 is a vertical section taken on line I l-l I of Figure 2,

Figure 12 is a horizontal section taken on line |2l2 of Figure 2,

Figure 13 is a horizontal section taken on line l3-I3 of Figure 2,

Figure 14 is a longitudinal section taken on line i l-l4 of Figure 13,

Figure 15 is a vertical section taken on line l5-l5 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of the cam boxes and associated elements.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is' shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l0 designates the arm of an ordinary sewing machine, such as a Singer sewing machine. This arm is provided with the usual head I l, the forward side of which is covered by a plate which has been removed, for the purpose of illustration. The arm I0 is carried by a stock 12, mounted upon a base 13 which serves as a table or work support.

The machine comprises the usual work feed, including feed dogs l4, carried by a feed bar I5. One end of this feed bar i5 is raised and lowered by a crank 16 operated by a rock shaft 11. The forward end of the feed dog bar i5 is moved longitudinally by a crank l8, operated by a rock shaft I9. The rock shafts l1 and I9 are connected with the drive shaft 20 of the machine, in the conventional manner, whereby the feed dog is moved to feed the work in proper timed relation with respect to the needle, as is well known. The main drive shaft 20 is arranged within the arm Ill and receives its. rotation from a grooved pulley 2|, ordinarily power driven- The machine comprises the usual presser bar 22, moved downwardly by a spring 23 and elevated by the finger v24. This presser bar carries a presser foot 25 to hold the fabric in proper engagement with the feed dog.

The machine further comprises a vertical reciprocatory needle bar 26, suitably guided within the head H and carrying a needle 21 at its lower end.

The machine thus far described is of the conventional type of sewing machine. Y

Clamped to the needle bar 26 by means of a set screw 21 or the like is a block 28, having a thread device 29 mounted thereon. This block is rigidly attached to the needle bar and reciprocates therewith and the block is engaged at its top by a compressible coil spring 30, surrounding the needle bar, and engaging against the top of the head II. This spring forces the needle bar downwardly when it is released. Arranged beneath the block 28 is a sleeve or grooved element or block 3|, receiving the needle bar therein and contacting with th bottom end of the block 28. Rigidly mounted upon the forward end of the main drive shaft is a crank-disc 32, having a connecting rod 33 pivotally connected therewith, as shown at 34. At its lower end, the connecting rod 33 has a sleeve 35 integral therewith and this sleeve receives a pivot element 36, rigidly secured to the sleeve or grooved block 3|, whereby the sleeve or grooved block 3| is pivotally connected with the lower end of the connecting rod. The sleeve 3| elevates the needle bar while spring 30 lowers it.

Means are provided to hold the needle bar 26 28, and this red has a horizontal Jaw 38 for re- H ceiving therebeneath a horizontal jaw 38 formed upon a generally vertical latch-rod 40, having an extension 4| projecting above the jaw 39, as shown. The latch-rod 40 is rigidly mounted upon a horizontal rock shaft 42. The rock shaft 42 has a collar 43 rigidly secured to one end thereof and this collar receives the latch-rod 40, and the latch-rod is clamped in the collar at a selected adjusted position by a set screw 44. The numeral 45 designates a substantially vertical crank-arm having a collar 46 rigidly secured to its lower end, and this collar has an opening to receive the rock shaft 42, and the collar 46 is clamped to the rock shaft by a set screw 41. The rock shaft 42 is supported by a stationary bearing sleeve 48, arranged between the collars 43 and 46, and held in place by a stationary bracket 49. This stationary bracket has a vertical groove 50 to receive and guide a roller 5|, mounted upon the outer end of the horizontal rod 31. The bracket 49 is rigidly mounted upon a support plate 52, by means of screws 53 and 53 or the like. The forward end of the support plate 52 is attached to the head II by means of a screw 54 and the screw 53'. The rear end of the support plate 52 has a screwthreaded opening 55, receiving a screw-threaded bushing 55, the inner end of which contacts with the arm I0 but has no connection therewith. The outer end of this bushing'has a head 51 for turning by a, wrench or the like. The bushing 55 receives a screw 58, the inner end of which has screw-threaded engagement with the arm I0. By

manipulating the bushing 56 and the screw 58 the support plate may be slightly adjusted angularly in a horizontal plane and then clamped in the selected adjusted position, for a purpose to be described.

Rigidly mounted upon the main drive shaft 20 is a worm 59, engaging a worm wheel 60, rigidly mounted upon a vertical shaft 6|. This vertical shaft operates within bearings carried by the support plate 52 and the horizontal worm wheel 60 operates within a horizontal opening 52, formed in the support plate 52. By manipulating the bushing 56 and the screw 58 as explained, the worm wheel 60 may be brought into proper engagement with the worm 59.

Arranged beneath the support plate 52 is a cam 63, having a boss 64, which is clamped to the vertical shaft 5| by a set screw or the like. Arranged above the horizontal cam 63 and between it and the support plate 52 is a cam box 66, having an elongated slot 61, to receive the vertical shaft 6|. This cam box has end flanges 68, ene s the cam' 63. It is thus seen that the cam box is supported and guided and that it will move longitudinally of the main drive shaft 20. Rigidly attached to the forward end of the cam box 88 is a substantially horizontal rod 40. passing through a. fork 10 carried by the arm 45 and extending forwardly beyond this fork. Clamped to the rod 68 by a set screw or the like is a stop collar 1|, upon the rear sideof the crank-arm 45, while a stop collar 12 is clamped to the rod 49 upon the forward side of the crank-arm 45. Slidably mounted upon the rod 59 between the stop collars II and 12 is a sleeve 13, having a radial flange 14 at one end, preferably integral therewith. A collar 15 is adiustably mounted upon the forward end of the sleeve 13 and is clamped thereto by a set screw 16. A compressible coil spring 11 is arranged between the collar 15 and flange 14, while the fork 10 of the crank-arm 45 is arranged between the forward end of the spring 11 and the collar 15. The collar therefore serves to limit the forward movement of the fork and the fork bears against the spring 11. The forward end of the sleeve 13 bears against a spring 18 surrounding the rod 68 and engaging the stop collar 12. The spring 18 serves to shift the sleeve 13 rearwardly upon the rod. This spring 14 also swings the crank-arm 45 rearwardly so that latch-rod 40 may engage the surface or jaw 38 of the rod 37.

Extending longitudinally beneath the base It between the rock shafts I1 and I9 is a center longitudinal rock shaft 18, journaled at its rear end in a stationary bearing and at its forward end in a stationary bearing 8|, formed in the depending lug 82. The center rock shaft is turned or rocked from the main drive shaft 20 through the usual means as employed in a sewing machine to rock a center bobbin shaft. Rigidly attached to the lug 82 by screws 83 or the like is a vertical depending bracket 84, upon which the looper 35 is pivotally mounted. This looper swings in a vertical plane longitudinally of the line of work and comprises a lower arm 86, clamped to a horizontal shaft 81, rotatably mounted in a bushing 38, having screw-threaded engagement with the bracket 84 and carrying a lock nut 89. The lower arm 84 has an upstanding fork secured thereto by screws 8| or the like and this fork receives an eccentric pin 92, carried by a disc 93, rigidly mounted upon the forward end of the center rock shaft 19. The looper comprises an upper generally vertical arm 94, adjustably secured to a laterally off-set portion of the arm 85. The arm 34 is provided with a lateral extension 95 and has the looper element 91 secured to its upper end and this looper element is provided with the usual down-turned bill 98.

Pivotally mounted upon the lateral extension 95, as shown at 89, is a bell-crank lever I00, including an upper horizontal arm |0| carrying at its free end a socket I02, for receiving and holding a generally vertical blade I03, arranged to have shearing action with the looper element 91, and to sever all of the plurality of unsevered loops accumulated thereon at one operation, as will be more fully explained. The bell-crank lever I00 includes 9. depending vertical arm I44, having pivotal connection at I05 with a rod I05. This rod extends through an opening in a head I01 and is adi'hstable with relation to the head shaft III. The looper swings in a vertical plane longitudinally of the line of work and the looper element 91 faces in an opposite direction to the is held against turning movement, the shaft I99 will serve as a stationary pivot against which the rod I03 acts, whereby the reciprocatory movement of the looper will impart a reciprocatory movement to theblade I03 toward and from the loops accumulated upon the looper element 91. When the rock shaft III and the shaft or pivot I99 are in the adjusted position which they occupy during the sewing action of the needle, the blade I03 will reciprocate, but the extent of movement is not sufficient to cause this blade to sever any of the accumulated loop or loops upon the looper. At the end of the sewing operation of the needle, the rock shaft III is turned so that the shaft or pivot I99 is shifted to the right, Figure 8, whereby when the looper is again swung toward the shaft III, the shaft or pivot Q09 in its adjusted position, acting upon the rod I96, due to the movement of the looper, will cause the blade I03 to move toward the looper element 91 for an increased distance so that this blade will then simultaneously sever all of the accumulated loops upon the looper.

I will now describe the means which turns the rock shaft III to cause the blade I93 to sever all of the loops at one time. This means comprises a reciprocatory bar H2, which is horizontally disposed above the support plate 52 and slidably engages with the top edge thereof. The reciprocatory bar is provided with a cam box H3, having an elongated slot III to receive the shaft iii. The shaft 3| carries a cam II5 rigidly secured to its upper end and this cam operates within the cam box H3 and engages the flanges I I6 thereof. The cam l I 5 serves to move the cam bar H2 forwardly and this cam bar is moved rearwardly by a retractile coil spring 1. The rear end of the cam bar H2 is pivotally connected at IIB with a bell-crank lever H9, pivotally supported at lib. This bell crank lever has pivotal connection at I2I with a depending rod H22, which'is pivotally connected at I23, with a crank I29 which is rigidly secured to the rear end of the auxiliary rock shaft I I I.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The main drive shaft turns seven complete revolutions while the vertical shaft 6| turns one complete revolution. The main drive shaft 20 makes threecomplete revolutions during the sewing period and four complete revolutions during the spacing period, the reciprocatory needle bar 26 making three cycles of operation during the sewing period and held elevated during the four cycles of operation of the shaft 20 during the spacing period. Assuming that the needle bar 26 has moved to the uppermost position and is held elevated by the latch-bar 39, at the beginning of the spacing period, then the cam II5 assumes a position whereby its high portion disengages the front flange H6 and the spring II! has shifted the bar II2 rearwardly. This turns the crank IIll counter-clockwise, Figure 8, shifting the pivot I99 to the right. Upon the first cycle of operation, during the spacing period,

.when the needle is held elevated, when the crank-disc 32 moves down the looper moves toward the path of travel of the needle and the blade is openedand when the crank-disc moves upwardly the looper moves from the path of the upper sideof the fabric.

travel of the needle and the blade moves to the completely closed position to sever all accumulated loops on the loop'er. Upon the second, third, and fourth cycles of operation, the same cycle of operation of the crank-disc 32, during the spacing period, when this crank-disc reaches the uppermost position, the sleeve 3i will lift the bar 31 from the shoulder 39 of the latch-bar l9, and the latch-bar 49 will now move forwardly so that its shoulder 39 releases the shoulder 39. The latch-bar 40 moves forwardly at this time since the cam 93 has shifted the rod 99 forwardly, this rod swinging the arm 45 forwardl'y through the medium of the spring 11. This cam now holds the rod 99 in the forward position during the three cycles of operation of the crankdisc 32, during the sewing period. When the crank-disc 32 reaches the uppermost point at the end of the third cycle of the operation of the crank-disc during the sewing period, the cam 63 has shifted the rod 69 rearwardly and the spring 19 will now swing the arm 45 rearwardly and the latch-rod 0 will again have its shoulder 39 positioned beneath the shoulder 39 of the bar 31. During the sewing period, the machine has made three cycles of operation and three unsevered loops have been accumulated upon the looper. During this sewing period, the blade reciprocates, but cannot move sufllciently to the closed position to sever any of the loops on the looper. At about the end of these three cycles of operation, the trailing side of the trailing loop has been gradually pulled out of the fabric due to the work feed and when the spacing period occurs, all unsevered loops upon the looper will be simultaneously severed by the blade when the crank-disc 32 rises at the end of the first cycle of operation. By accumulating a plurality of unsevered loops upon the looper and severing them all at one operation of the blade, the unsevered loops serve as a support for the tall from the trailing loop and thereby aid the blade in severing such tail, thus dispensing with the use of a gripper. The loops are thus all severed and a short tail is cut from the trailing loop, and as the feeding operation of the machine continues, the work being fed a step during each cycle of operation of the. crank disc 32, the yarn from the needle which has been severed from the leading loop is pulled out of the fabric.

This leaves two U-shaped strands of yarn in the fabric forming two tufts in each group and the groups are spaced. When the end of the spacing period is reached, the sewing operation again starts, as explained. In the operation of the machine the thread tension device is properly adjusted to exert the proper tension upon the yarn so that the tail from the trailing loop extends beyond the top of the fabric for a suitable distance so that such tail will gradually pull out from the fabric during the feeding operation and be completely pulled from its hole in the fabric at about the time that the blade .severs all of the accumulated loops at the same time. -If the tension device is adjusted to exert too much tension on the yarn, the tail will pull out too much in advance of the severing operation, and if the tension device is adjusted so that it does not exert s'ufllcient tension on the yarn, the tail will not pull out and will remain extending upon If the tail pulls out too soon and is not severed by the blade, it must be manually cut after the work is finished and tension device relatively few of the tails are not properly severed.

The looper is timed in operation with the needle, and when the needle moves to the lowered position, the looper moves toward the needle and entersthe loop. As the needle rises, the looper moves from the needle, and the blade moves toward the closed position. The movement of the blade toward the closed position, will be sufllcient ,during'the spacing period to sever all loops during one cycle of operation of the blade, but this movement will be insumcient to sever any of the loops during the sewing period.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shownand described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, means to operate the needle during sewing periods to produce a plurality of groups of loops and to render the needle idle during spacing periods to provide spaces between the groups, means to drive the work feed means during the sewing period and spacing period, a movable looper to receive thereon the group of loops formed by the needle during the sewing period, a cutter, and timed means to operate the cutter after the sewing period for severing all of the loops in the group upon the looper by a single cycle of operation of the cutter.

2. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, means to drive the needle during sewing periods to produce groups containing a plurality of loops and to subsequently render the needle idle during spacing periods to space the groups, means to drive the work feed means during the sewing and spacing periods, a movable looper to receive the group of loops from the needle during the sewing period, a cutter, and automatic means operated during the spacing period to cause the cutter to sever all of the loops in the group upon the looper upon a single cycle'of operation of the cutter.

3. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, means to operate the needle during sewing periods to produce a plurality of loops in groups and to subsequently render the needle idle during spacing periods to provide spaces between the groups, means to drive the work feed means during the sewing and spacing periods, a movable looper to receive thereon the group of loops from the needle during the sewing period, a cutter, and automatic means to operate the cutter only during the spacing period to cause the cutter to sever all or the loops in the group upon the looper.

4. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the'yam through the work and produce loops, means to. operate the needle during sewing periods to produce a plurality of groups of loops and to render the needle idle during spacing periods to provide spaces between the groups, means to drive the work feed means during the sewing and spacing periods,. a movable looper to receive thereon the group of loops from the needle during the sewing period, a cutter, and automatic timed means to impart to the cutter a limited movement during the sewing period so that the cutter is incapable of severing the group of loops during the sewing period and imparting to the cutter an increased movement during the spacing period to cause the cutter to sever all of the loops in the group upon the looper.

5. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, means to operate the needle during sewing periods to produce spaced groups of loops and to render the needle idle during spacing periods to provide spaces between the groups, means to drive the work feed means during the sewing and spacing periods, a reciprocatory looper to receive thereon the group of loops from the needle during the sewing period, a cutter pivotally connected with the loo'per, a supporting element, means connecting the cutter and supporting element so that the movement of the looper moves the cutter, and timed automatic means to move the supporting element to vary the extent of movement of the cutter.

6. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, a drive shaft, means operated by the drive shaft to operate the needle during a sewing period to produce a plurality of loops in a group and to subsequently render the needle idle during a spacing period to provide spaces between the groups, means operated by the drive shaft to drive the work feed means during the sewing and spacing periods, a reciprocatory looper to receive thereon the plurality of loops from the needle during the sewing period, a cutter pivotally connected with the looper, a supporting member, a link pivotally connecting the cutter and supporting member so that the movement of the looper eflects the cutting movement of the cutter, and means driven from the drive shaft to shift the supporting element for increasing the extent of cutting movement of the cutter.

7. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, means to operate the needle during a sewing period to produce a plurality of loops in a group and to subsequently render the needle idle during a spacing period to produce spaces between the groups, means to drive the work feed means during the sewing and spacing periods, a reciprocatory looper to receive thereon the plurality of loops from the needle during the sewing period, a cutter pivotally connected with the looper, a rock shaft, a supporting element carried by the rock shaft, a link pivotally connecting the cutter and supporting element, a reciprocatory bar, means connecting the reciprocatory bar and the rock shaft, a cam for controllling the movement of the reciprocatory bar,'and means to drive the cam.

8. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means. a main drive shaft, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, means operated from the main drive shaft to operate the needle during a sewing period to produce a plurality of loops in a group and to subsequently render the needle idle during a spacing period to provide spaces between the groups, means to drive the work feed means during the spacing and sewing periods, a reciprocatory looper to receive thereon the plurality of loops from the needle during the sewing period, a cutter pivotaliy connected with the looper, a rock shaft, a supporting element carried by the rock shaft, a link connecting the cutter and supporting element, a reciprocatory bar, means connecting the reciprocatory bar and rock shaft, a cam controlling the movement of the reciprocatory bar, and gearing connecting the cam and main drive shaft.

9. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle bar having a stop element, a spring to move the needle bar downwardly, an element movable longitudinally of the needle bar and arranged beneath the stop element and engaging the stop element to raise the needle bar, a bar secured to the needle bar, a movable latch-bar to engage beneath the last named bar to hold the needle bar elevated, operating means including a resilient element to move the latch-bar out of engagement with said bar, and means to move the operating means.

10. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle bar having a needle and provided with a stop element, a sprin to move the needle bar downwardly, an element arranged beneath the stop element and movable longitudinally of the needle bar and adapted to engage the stop element to elevate th needle bar, a holding bar secured to the needle bar, a pivoted latch-bar having a part to engage beneath the holding bar to retain the needle elevated, means to reciprocate said element and to cause the same to raise the needle bar so that the pressure from the holding bar is taken off of the latch-bar, a swinging arm connected with the latch-bar, a reciprocatory rod, a spring carried by the reciprocatory rod and engaging the swinging arm to shift it in one direction, and a cam controlling the movement of the reciprocatory rod.

mounted upon the rock shaft and having a part to'engage with the holding bar to retain the needle bar elevated, the crank-disc raising the holding bar from the latch-bar'when the crankdisc moves the needle bar to the uppermost position, an upstanding arm secured to the -''rock shaft and having a fork, a reciprocatory rod, a spool slidably mountedupon the reciprocatory rod and having its sleeve held within the fork, afspring carried by the sleeve and engaging the fork, a springcarried by the rod to shift the spool in one direction,

and means driven by the 7 main drive shaft to control the movement of the reciprocatory rod.

12. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle bar to carry a needle, a spring to move the needle bar downwardly, a main drive shaft, means operated by the main drive shaft to raise the needle, a latch device to hold the needle elevated, an auxiliary shaft driven by the main drive shaft, means to operate the latch device including a cam connected with the auxiliary shaft, a reciprocatory looper to receive the loops from the needle, a cutter to sever the loops upon the looper, means to render the cutter effective and ineffective with respect to severing the loops, and means to onerate the last named means including a cam connected with the auxiliary shaft.

13. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work-feed means, an arm extending over the work support and having a head, a reciprocatory needle bar carried by the head, a spring to move the needle bar downwardly, a main drive shaft within the arm, means operated by the main drive shaft to raise the needle, a latch device within the head to hold the needle bar elevated, a rod to operate the latch device to release the needle bar, a cam arranged near the head to move the rod, and gearing arranged near the head and connecting the cam and main drive shaft.

14. In a machine for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts, a work support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the work and produce loops, means to drive the work feed means, means to operate the needle during sewing periods to produce groups of loops and to subsequently render the needle idle during spacing periods while the work feed means is operating to feed the work to space the groups, a looper to receive thereon the loops of the group, a cutter, and means timed in operation with respect to the needle operating means to operate the cutter during the spacing period to sever all of the loops of the group accumulated upon the looper during the sewing period.

15. In a machine for producing spaced groups of tufts, a support, work feed means, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce loops, means to drive the needle through a plurality of cycles of operation for forming a plurality of unsevered loops and then retain the needle idle for producing a space, a looper disposed in cooperative relation to the needle, means to "drive the looper so that it enters the plurality of unsevered loops formed by the needle, means to drive the work feed means while the needle is operating to produce the loops and while the needle is retained idle, a cutter arranged in cooperative relation with the looper, and means to operate the cutter only after the needle has produced the plurality of unsevered loops for severing all of the plurality of loops.

16. The method of producing spaced groups of tufts upon fabric, comprising feeding the fabric while sewing a plurality of loops therein for producing a group and then discontinuing the sewing action and maintaining the loopsunsevered until the group is completed, continuing the feeding of the fabric after the groupofloops has been completed for providing a space, an'd'after the group has been completed severing. all of. the loops in the group. before the formationbf the succeeding roup of loops. a I

- ROY H. WIIIDHTAli/I, 

